Electrovibratory couch.



W. A. CHURCH.

ELEOTROVIBBATORY COUCH.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 21.1908

Patented Nov. 3o, 1909. Zfgf 4 a ai 54 'ff' .A l mwa/Wc! WALTER A. CHURCH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRO-VIBRAT- ING COUCH COMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA,

FORNIA.

A CORPORATION OF CALI- Enncrnovinnn'ronr coUcH.

Application led December 21,1908. Serial No. 468,677.

To all whom Yi1! may concern:

Be it` known that I, WALTER A. CHURCH, a citizen of the United States, residingV at Los Angeles. in the county of Los Angeles and State' of California, have invented a new and .useful Electrovibratory Couch, of which the. fcllcwng is a specification.l

The main object of the present invention is toV provide means for simulating the effects of exercise on the muscles and articularly for producing the beneficial e ects of horseback ridin A further object of the invention is to provide means for imparting to the human ody a rapid vibratory motion in such manner that exercise can beobtaned without physical effort. f

Another object is to stimulate the circula tion of the blood.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in connection with such an apparatus,

means for obtaining electro therapeutic ac; tion simultaneously with the vibratory action.A

Another object of the invention -is to prov1de, in connection with such an apparatus,

j means for supplying heat tothe body when re uired.

ther objects ofthe invention will appear hereinafter.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the couch.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, vertical sectionthereof. Fi 3 1s a transverse section on lin ac3-wa Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse sec 1on of one of the antif'riction supports for the couch top. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the antifriction race way.

The couch comprises a -base or-body mem-l ber 1 and a top member 2 ada ted to reciprecate longitu Body member 1 is formed as a box, frame or case, preferably of elongated, rectangular shape, havin ,if desired, doors or closures 3 at'both si es thereof for permitting access` to the interior. The top member 2 is supported on this case by antifriction bearings, each bearing comprising two members 5, 6,secured respective y to the supporting case and to the top, said -members being formed with opposin channels? to receive and forma race way or an antifriction ball 8, the longitudinal movement of said ball in Athe race way being limited by elastic inally on said ody member.

blocks 9 of rubber or other yielding ma- I terial, supported by pins 10.. One of these antifriction bearings may be provided near each corner of the top member.

The means for reciprocation or vibration of the couch consists of a lever 1-2 pivoted to a bracket 13 on base member l and having a link'connection 14 with a bracket 15 on the top member 2, said lever being operated b a pitman 16 from a crank 17 on an operating shaft 18.` Said shaft 18 is driven by an electric motor 20 connected by pulley 21, belt 224 and pulley 23 with said shaft. To enable adjustment of the throw or length of' vibratory motion the connection of the pitman 16 to the lever 12 is made adjustable,

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said lever having a 'slot 25 which receives ment, a removable pillow or head support 34 being also provided, said head support restin on top of the cushion 33 and being held 1n positlon by lugs 35 which may befastened v.by buttons 36 or other suitable fastening devices on the side strips 37 of the topa member. l

Xtendin along and secured to each vside .of the couc lis a metallic bar 40 supported by brackets 41'and located in convenient position to be grasped by a handof a person reclining on the coue Means are provided for applying electric current to said bars, said means consisting, for example, of a battery 42, a primary circuit 43 including said battery, a switch 44, and the primary coil of induction coil 45, the secondary of said induction coil being'connected by a circuit 46 tothe said bars 40.. Said induction coil may have arr adjustable core 48 to vary theintensity of the electric current, as may be r uired. Said circuit ma also be connecte to terminals 49 on the top member 2. for the connection of any suitable electrodes for applying an electric current to i 'l y blocks 55 may be provide the case 1.

any portion of the body', for example, the hands or` feet.

The means for supplying'g heat, whenrequired, consists 4of any suitable resistance means, for example, a lurality of electric lamps 50 supported -wixin thecase 1 and connected to'a supply circuit 52 controlled by a switch 53. Suitable handles 54 may be provided at the bottom 'of case 1 said handles being adapted to be swung up out of the way, as shown in dotted lines in Fig, 2, or to be pulled out to position shown 1n full lines to enable convenienttransportation of the couch. 'In order to ease off the-jar on'the iioor and prevent rubbing', rubber pads or inl each legv56 of The apparatus is -used inthe following manner: The person taking the treatment reclines back downward on the couchand the electric motor beingset in operation the resulting rapid vibratory motion of the couch roduces a corres onding motion of the'bo therapidity ,o this motion being such that the involuntary reflex action of the muscles produces exercise of substantially all the muscles of the body. At the saine time the person can by grasping the bars 40 (the switch 44 being closed) receive electric current which furtherl stimulates thenerv'ous and muscular action 0f the body. Incase the body is lacking in vitalityf `it will sometimes be desirable to supply external heatand this may be done by turning on the heating circuit which energizes the lamps 50, the Aheat therefrom passing 'out through the space between the top of case 1 and the bottom of the top 2 and upwardly around the body. The crank mechanism for imparting reci rocatory motion to the couch top provldes or a smooth undulatory motion yin distinction to a jarring or violent motion such as Ywould be produced by cam action or the like. The vibratory motion also has the eect of stimulatin the circulation of the blood. The ra iity of the vibratory motion can be regu ated by control of the driving motor. In any case however, the motion should be vibratory in the sense of bein a rapid, to-and-fro motion, so as to obtain t e peculiar physiological effects of vibration, due to the inertia of thebody and the rapid changes of motion, acting as himself to the couch or shift his lightly, he can take the current; while a stimulus.- Such eiects are not produced by slow oscillations. The term vibratory motion is here used only .in this limited or proper sense, that is, of ra id oscillatory motion. It is also essential t at the motion should be horizontal and rectilinear, or reciprocatory, since vertical motion produces 'an objectionable eii'ect on account of the action of gravity, and rocking motion is not beneficial. The conductor bars 40, in addition to serving as electrodes, serve also as hand grips, whereby the patient may hold osition if desired, or by grasping these. ars ver a lowing his hands to slide on the bars. In this connection the horizontal position of the bars is of importance, in view of the fact that the reciprocating motion is also horizontal. y

What I claim is:

1. A vibratory couch comprising a bottom member, a top member mounted to reciprocate horizontally on said bottom member, a motor, and a crank operated thereby and connected to the top member to impart'y thereto a smooth vibratory horizontal motion.

2. A vibra'tory couchvcomprising a bottom member, a topmember mounted to reciprocate horizontally on -said bottom member, a motor, a crank device connected thereto and to said top member to im art. to thetop member a smooth horizonta vibrator movmotor, and a crank operated therebyA and connected to the top member to impart thereto a smooth vibratory horizontal motion, in combination with a hand grip bar extending horizontally on each side of the top member vand. attached to the to member, said hand grip bars being o f con beting material, and adapted for use as electrodes.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 15th day of December 1-908.

WALTER A. CHURCH.

In presence of- A. P. KNIGHT, FRANK L. A. GRAHAM. 

